Stereotypes are common in persons with disabilities in sports and recreation, and the sky should be the limit. Many persons with disabilities destroy any stereotypes that sports and recreation are solely limited to the able-bodied. In 2006, I first met and became friends with Andy Houghton, who taught and implemented adaptive sports programs in California, Bosnia, Kosovo and Vietnam. Cyclist and cruiser Matt Hendricks, who was profiled in the last edition of the DIG newsletter, is an avid sportsman. Over the years, we have fought for inclusive programs for kids with autism, or kids who are deaf. Now, with adaptive video game controllers or even controllers with eye tracking, video games are now available an accessible! "NO BARRIERS"

Julie will be back next month to join us for another exciting adventure in Kids Crusaders. In the meantime, if you haven't had a chance to check out the amazing Facebook Group I Run for Michael, please do. "Buddies" are desperately needed as there are over 3,000 runners just waiting to be paired. The I Run 4 group, joining hearts and families one step at a time!

Pictured below is one of Nick's runners, Jen Seid who completed a half marathon today and dedicated her 13.1 miles to Nick. Thanks to a great phone app called RaceJoy, we were able to track Jen as she ran in real time via GPS and even send her encouraging cheers!

On Monday, September 14th, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga, 62, underwent successful surgery for kidney cancer at Shands Hospital in Gainesville. Doctors had discovered the cancer in its early stages through routine blood tests earlier this year. They advised him to have the kidney removed. Justice Labarga was expected to be hospitalized for seven days. However, after surgery, Justice Labarga began working at his job remotely, with Barbara Pariente, another cancer survivor, serving as acting chief justice during any time he is incapacitated. According to the Court, "Doctors found no signs that the cancer had spread and predict a full and quick recovery for Florida's 56th Chief Justice and its first of Hispanic descent.'' (click here to read more)

MDC Students working on a marketing project for DIG this semester

Thank you to Professor Barrow's marketing students at MDC. They are going to work on three different projects for DIG this semester. We can't wait to see what they create.

MOVIE NIGHT: Whether inside in front of the TV or outside in the back yard, nothing is more fun than a favorite movie and some fancy popcorn. (click here to read more)

GAME NIGHT: Any board game or cards will do. It you have a larger crowd, not just two, then you could play several games and then rotate game stations. (click here to read more)

CARPET PICNIC: Nothing is more fun than an indoor carpet picnic, no bugs, no rain, no sun to interrupt you. It can be in the living room, family room, porch or wherever you have a carpet. (click here to read more)

BINGE WATCH NETFLIX: This is such a common activity now that I found recipes for binge watching Netflix on the internet.
(click here to read more)

Mindfulness -- Follow up

By: Ben Goodman

None of us likes the idea that our doctor is practicing on us, but she is. None of us likes the idea that our lawyer is practicing on us, but he is. We may dislike even more the idea that we are practicing law on our clients...but we are!

If you practice in the legal field, you have been practicing to practice since before you were even licensed, before law school even. And, once you are licensed, you continue to practice, and to learn, and to become better at practicing. Hopefully, the better you get at it, the more value you are providing to your clients, and the more they are valuing you. (click here to read more)

Guardianship Video

Recently the Disabilities Independency Group partnered with the Dade County Legal Aid Society and the Statewide GAL Office to present the training "Guardianship and Guardian Advocate Training for Attorneys." The training features a distinguished panel including the Honorable Maria M. Korvick. The presentation includes identifying developmental disabilities, everything you need to know about plenary guardianship and guardian advocates, and how to interview children with disabilities. The training was approved by the Florida Bar for 3.0 Hours of CLE credit. Watch the video on the Florida Statewide GAL Program website. http://guardianadlitem.org/training-advocacy-resources/conferences-training/

Letting go of her career at DuPont from Barcelona, in Spain and moving to Miami, FL was not easy, but Silvia knows it was the most important decision of her life. Marc is now an adorable 12 year old boy that just happens to have autism. He loves riding his bike, dancing to Michael Jackson and baking. He's come a long way with the help of the Miami-Dade County Public School system.

But Silvia soon questioned what does the future hold for Marc and young adults with autism and other developmental disabilities (DD)? The challenge begins after they turn 22. She quickly realized that employment opportunities looked bleak. "Companies seldom hire adults with Autism/DD. I will not sit and wait for companies to change their hiring policies. Instead, I have created solution. I'm a true believer that hard work determines who we are as individuals in society and that every member of society-including adults with autism, DD -should have the chance to excel and contribute." Silvia decided to take this employment challenge head on, and opened Miami Is Kind, an industrial bakery determined to be the first factory for professionals with autism, DD in South Florida. (click here to read more)

AARP's Livability Index

The AARP Public Policy Institute developed the Livability Index as a web-based tool to measure community livability. Users can search the Index by address, ZIP Code, or community to find an overall livability score, as well as a score for each of seven major livability categories: housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, health, engagement, and opportunity.

Are you a SSDI beneficiary working or wanting to work over the Substantial Gainful Activity ($1090 in 2015)? Are you receiving support from your employer? You can use Subsidies for SGA purposes

A few things to consider first: During an SGA determination, SSA looks at gross wages when they were earned, not when they were paid to you. For example, if you get paid every week or every other week you will have some months when you get an extra paycheck. SSA won't count that extra paycheck when it was received - they are only interested in when the work was done that you got paid for. In addition, they will deduct any wages you were paid for days you actually did not work such as sick leave pay or vacation pay. SSA considers many things in addition to the amount you received in gross wages such as:

The value of your work compared to non-disabled coworkers and whether you got help doing your job from an agency or your employer (Subsidy/Special Conditions);

Whether or not you paid expenses related to your disability because you were working, (Impairment Related Work Expenses, Business expenses, unpaid help); and

How long you were able to earn more than the SGA level and whether you were unable to keep earning SGA level wages beyond 6 months due to your disability (Unsuccessful Work Attempt or UWA).

I know from personal experience, that it's not easy living with any kind of disability, whether easily seen or an invisible disability. Though I won't go into much specifics or detail as to the type of disability I have, I can say that one of the things I suffer from is social anxiety. Having social anxiety makes it difficult for me to go out and do things with friends or go out and make new friends, in how some other people might do so. Luckily for me, I have found several ways to help me deal with my own social anxiety, while getting to make friends and hang out with some friends I've already met. (click here to read more)

In a nutshell, Your Upward Journey: It Is Easier Than You Think!, is a three-part project (book, self-help seminars and merchandise sale). I intend to promote the book through self-help seminars and sale of merchandise, such as mugs, journals etc.

Most times when a person requests a reasonable accommodation or a modification because of a disability, the accommodation or modification assists a person to live independently or lessens the effect of a disability. This includes a closer parking space, or grab bars in the bathroom, or an assistance animal. However, there are many times when a need for an accommodation is a matter of life and death. In a recent case filed by DIG and Belvin Perry of Morgan & Morgan, the denial of a reasonable accommodation led to Samuel Rosario's death at his apartment at the Logan Heights Apartments in Sanford Florida. (click here to read more)